ProverbPedia

“Malayalam Proverb:
നിന്റെവയറു ചാലിയന്റെപയിമ്പപോലെ”
— English Translation:
Your belly is like the weaver's starch trough. (A cavernous, insatiable appetite that consumes vast quantities of food without ever appearing full.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
നീന്താമാട്ടിനെ വെള്ളംകൊണ്ടുപോകും”
— English Translation:
The cattle that refuse to swim will be swept away by the floodwaters. (Those who fail to develop essential survival skills and adapt during crises will be washed away by the tide.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
നിറക്കുടം തുളുമ്പുകയില്ല, അരക്കുടംതുളുമ്പും”
— English Translation:
A full pot does not splash, but a half-filled pot sloshes and spills over. (A person of profound wisdom and integrity remains calm and modest, whereas shallow pretenders make noisy displays of their little knowledge.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
നീരായാലും മോരെ പേയായാലും തായെ”
— English Translation:
Be it plain water, call it rich buttermilk; be she a harsh spirit, she is still your mother. (Contentment with humble fare and steadfast filial reverence toward parents, regardless of their temper.)

“”
— English Translation:
In a land of naked people, the one wearing a loincloth is deemed a lunatic. (In an environment where corruption, madness, or ignorance is universal, the solitary upright person is mocked as abnormal.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
നീരൊലി (നീരോശ) കെട്ടു ചെരിപ്പഴിക്കണമോ”
— English Translation:
Must one take off one's sandals merely upon hearing the distant trickle of water? (Taking premature, anxious precautions long before encountering an actual hurdle; crossing bridges before coming to them.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
നിറയപുറപ്പെട്ടാലും ഒരുവശം ചരിഞ്ഞുകിടക്കണം”
— English Translation:
Even if you set out with full forces, maintain room to tilt and yield to one side. (Even when wielding overwhelming power or resources, retain flexibility, humility, and caution rather than acting with rigid arrogance.)

“”
— English Translation:
Even a harmless water snake is enough to ruin supper. (Even a trivial fright, minor taboo, or petty alarm can throw a household into turmoil and disrupt daily peace.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
നിലത്തുവെച്ചെ മുഖത്തുനോക്കാവു”
— English Translation:
Look someone in the face only after setting your heavy load down on the ground. (Discharge urgent physical burdens and obligations first before engaging in social courtesies and polite conversation.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
നിലമറിഞ്ഞു വിത്തുവിതയ്ക്കണം”
— English Translation:
Sow the seed only after knowing the soil. (Tailor advice, investments, and actions to the character, receptivity, and capacity of the person or situation.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
നിലാവുകണ്ട നായി വെള്ളംകുടിക്കുംപോലെ”
— English Translation:
Like a dog trying to lap water while staring up at the moon. (Performing a simple everyday task with total distraction, folly, and wandering attention.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
നാരേൽകെട്ടി കോലേൽവീശി”
— English Translation:
Tied with fiber string and swung upon a stick. (Treated like a puppet; manipulated, maneuvered, and dangled entirely at someone else's whim.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
നിടുവാൾപോയാൽ കൊടുവാൾ നിടുവാൾ”
— English Translation:
If the longsword is lost, the curved billhook must serve as the longsword. (When prime resources are unavailable, humble everyday tools must be pressed into service; make do with what you have.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
നാറിയോനെപേറിയാൽ (ചുമന്നാൽ) പേറിയോനെ (ചുമന്നോനെ) നാറും”
— English Translation:
If you carry a foul-smelling person, the carrier ends up reeking just as badly. (Shielding or associating with a corrupt, disgraced individual smears their filth and dishonor directly onto yourself.)

“”
— English Translation:
One who cannot distinguish between stench and fragrance. (A thoroughly insensitive, boorish person completely lacking taste, moral discernment, or social refinement.)

“Malayalam Proverb:
നായ്ക്കറിയാമൊ നല്ലതു”
— English Translation:
Does a dog recognize what is truly good? (Casting pearls before swine; an unrefined, vulgar mind has no capacity to appreciate virtue, art, or excellence.)